Sunday 9 September, between 8.00am and 4.30pm
The closure is required in order to allow safe access to a BT manhole cover and apparatus situated in the centre of Linney Lane.
At the same time as the closure, temporary traffic signals will be located on the diversion route at the junction of Milnrow Road / Buckstones Road.
Date: 1st September 2012
MEDIA RELEASE
Labour Council slammed for failing to open new £33M school on time
Councillor Howard Sykes, Liberal Democrat Group Leader and Leader of the Opposition on Oldham council, has slammed Oldham’s Labour Council for only just informing parents and pupils that the brand new Newman RC College on Broadway will not be ready to receive pupils next week as planned.
“Parents will recall that the Building Schools for the Future programme was a shambles when the Lib Dems took over control of the Council in 2008,” stated Cllr Sykes.
“The so called plans for a single Catholic Secondary School were not worth the paper they were written on with no site to build on and even sketcher plans on what would be built. There are now trams running though the so called site Labour wanted to build this new school on and there was always going to be – that shows how well developed Labour’s plans were that we inherited back in 2008.”
“We as a new Lib Dem Administration met with the Bishop and agreed a way forward and rescued this matter and got in back on track. Now this programme is back in Labour’s hands they have failed to ensure the school opens on time, they should hang their heads in shame and this does not boad well for the other major school projects that are also currently under construction,” he added.
“Whatever the reason for the delay by the contractors, Balfour Beatty you would have thought that Oldham’s Labour Council would have made sure that this £33 million building would be completed in time for the start of the new school year,” stated Cllr Sykes.
“The rumour mill for weeks has been speculating it would not be open on time and they have left it to the last minute to inform pupils and parents when they could have come clean on this weeks ago! Parents have busy lives and this last minute approach leaves them no time to sort alternatives.”
“This will affect parents and carers who will have to look to changing their working patterns or childcare arrangements because the young people will be off school for a further week. I shall be seeking assurances that all the other schools that are part of the Building Schools for Future/Academy project open on time and stick to budget,” said Cllr Howard Sykes.
Ends/
Copy of letter sent to parents is below:
29th August 2012
People Communities & Society
Executive Director Commissioning including (Director of Children’s Services) Level 10, Civic Centre, West Street , Oldham Telephone Number 0161 770 4200. E Mail: michael.jameson@oldham.gov.uk
Dear Parent
On behalf of Oldham Council and Newman College, I regret to have to inform you of a delay in the completion of the new school building on Broadway.
Originally the new school was to open to students in Year 7 and Year 11 from Friday, September 7 and then to every pupil from September 10.
I must now inform you that the new College will be able to welcome children in Years 7 and 11 on Monday, September 17 at 8.55am – and then all pupils from Tuesday, September 18 at 8.55am.
This delay is because – despite continued monitoring and intervention – the building contractor, Balfour Beatty Construction, has not been able to meet the agreed completion date to enable Oldham Council to hand the buildings over to the College.
We all realise how frustrating this news will be and unreservedly apologise for the delay and inconvenience, which is beyond our control.
The College has been liaising around the clock with Oldham Council officers who are assisting to ensure that Balfour Beatty complete all the outstanding works.
We’re working closely together to look at any possible assistance we could put in place during this extra period of enforced closure – such as the provision of leisure opportunities, for example.
Obviously it is essential that these works are completed before we can allow public access – the safety of pupils, parents and staff remains our top priority.
We must have full confidence that these fantastic new buildings are completely safe for pupils and staff and that all facilities are fully operational from ‘Day One’.
The transformation from what has been a building site to the state-of-the-art building which Newman College is, requires significant cleaning. It also requires us all to work with Balfour Beatty to complete the necessary equipment testing, training of staff and familiarisation with the building.
In the longer-term, of course, we are hugely excited at the fantastic new learning opportunities and facilities which this £33 million College will offer your children.
For now, please again note those new opening dates:
* Children in Years 7 and 11 on Monday, September 17 at 8.55am;
* All pupils from Tuesday, September 18 at 8.55am.
Please also keep checking the College and Oldham Council’s websites and other Social Media – such as the College’s Twitter account – for updated information. You can also call Julie Walton on 0161 770 8732 or 0161 770 1249 if you have any further queries.
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Jameson Mike McGhee
Executive Director Commissioning including Director of Children’s Services
Headteacher The Blessed John Henry Newman RC College
Shaw & Crompton Parish Council have teamed up with Groundwork Oldham & Rochdale to host ten FREE events on green space sites across Shaw & Crompton. The aim of these events is to connect local people to their environment and encourage people of all ages to use their local green spaces.
FOOTPATH WORKS
Sunday 12th August 2012 (10:30am-3:30pm)
Valley Rise, off Trent Road, Lower Rushcroft OL2 7QF
Find out how footpaths are constructed and maintained and join a team to improve the path and steps down to the pond. Activities will include edging and cutting back vegetation.
BULB PLANTING EVENT
Sunday 9th September 2012 (1-3pm)
High Crompton Park, Rochdale Road OL2 7PS
Create a splash of colour at High Crompton Park during spring by helping to plant native bulbs. Help to keep the park looking good and provide a resource for wildlife.
FAMILY FUN IN THE WOODS
Sunday 14th October 2012 (11am-3pm)
Dunwood Park, Small Brook Lane OL2 7UQ
Come and explore the woods and discover what lives in and under the trees. Find out about this important habitat and take part in fun activities including insect and scavenger hunts.
Places limited for each event, please book a place in advance.
For more details or to book your place contact Suzanne Walton:
T: 0161 624 1444 or 07899 792 422
E: suzanne.walton@groundwork.org.uk
www.gwor.org.uk
From 13th August for up to 5 days – off peak hours 09:15-16:00.
To allow crash barriers to be installed.
The public can access the service in a number of ways
Via the website the public can find an online referral form on the Welfare Rights page.
By phone on 0161 770 6655 between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday. The Contact Centre will provide basic benefits advice and where appropriate make a referral to the Welfare Rights Service or Citizens Advice Bureau as appropriate.
Through Access Oldham – the Customer Services Officer will provide basic signposting advice and where appropriate make a referral to the Welfare Rights Service or Citizens Advice Bureau.
In all instances the Welfare Rights Officer/s will aim to make initial contact with the customer within 2 working days of receipt of the referral.
Four skips should arrive this PM – two on Oak Street, and one either end of Buckley Street.
Anybody in the locality can use them to get rid of rubbish and materials.
If and when these are full I have been promised they will be replaced.
After some direct intervention by myself people can now make direct donations to the Disaster Fund at both Yorkshire and Royal Bank of Scotland Banks in Shaw.
Many people had contacted me to ask why there was nowhere in Shaw after a few quick calls to the banks concerned I am pleased to report they were more than willing to help.
Yorkshire went live last Wednesday and RBS on Friday.
Barclay’s are now also accepting donantions! 🙂
It is necessary to provide a new clean water service connection at 96 Oldham Road, Shaw. The work will commence on Tuesday 31 July and should take 2 days to complete. The road crossing will be undertaken in two halves with the trench back filled and reinstated at the end of each day.
The signals will operate off peak only (9.30am – 3.30pm)
EDITOR Oldham Chronicle – We write in response to ‘Oak Street Resident’ (Chronicle letters, ‘Future uncertain’, Monday, July 16).
Although members of different political parties in Oldham, we stand united in our response to the Shaw explosion and its aftermath.
We are joined in grief for the Heaton family and share a determination to continue assisting them – and the other residents displaced and affected by this tragic unforeseen event – with full and fair support.
We also share pride at the work undertaken by Council staff plus a range of partner organisations, including the Blue Light services, in response to this incident.
We are equally united in our rejection of the claims and personal attacks contained in the anonymous letter on Monday and will again put the record straight.
It is easy to attack the Council and speculate on matters because we are not allowed to publicly comment on individual cases and claims due to data protection issues. That confidentiality is something that we must – and will – respect for affected residents.
Everyone has the right to an opinion about how the Council and others responded to the incident: that is their right. But it is also wrong for ‘Oak Street Resident’ to misrepresent facts and attack individuals in such a misinformed way.
Reading that letter it would be easy to conclude that everyone within the 175 properties originally evacuated is fighting hard against an unfair council that doesn’t understand the problems people are facing.
This is simply not true.
Firstly, it suggests that people have been told they need to pay for their own demolished properties to be cleared away.
This has been addressed before. It is normal that costs associated with demolition in an incident like this are recharged to insurance companies. We continue to assist people who weren’t insured to address these concerns and support them through any legal procedures or financial hardship.
A second ‘untruth’ is to suggest that money from the Distress Fund is being offered as loans, not grants. Again this is untrue – and has already been made clear.
The original ‘Crisis Loans’, issued the day after the blast, were just that.
These were emergency funds to support people until the Oldham Distress Fund was set up. This is a totally separate fund, to which people and the Council donated – and no payments from the Distress Fund are repayable.
Trustees must ensure that funds are given appropriately and are working hard processing applications daily to ensure people are treated with due dignity and confidentiality, and fully supported throughout the process.
We know that for some people this has been a life-changing event and emotions have obviously run high at times.
Where we have made mistakes we will hold our hands up and accept criticism where there has, for example, been slow communication or a lack of clarity.
However, we wholly reject the personal criticisms made of Councillor Jean Stretton and Shaw Ward Councillors, Howard Sykes, Rod Blyth and Mark Alcock in this letter.
As the responsible Cabinet Member, Jean Stretton stood up to be counted in a crisis situation. She showed leadership, humanity and strength in a very difficult situation and continues to do so in her work on the Distress Fund.
The Shaw ward councillors were also actively involved in the Council response and the Distress Fund. They continue to work alongside residents and offer support to anyone who needs it.
The local community in Shaw is recovering and we are determined to assist that process.
We stand proud of the way that people and partner organisations pulled together in these extreme circumstances.
As a group we remain resolute in our determination to continue doing whatever is necessary to help.
Howard Sykes (Opposition Leader and Shaw Ward Member)
Jim McMahon (Oldham Council Leader)
Councillors Jenny Harrison, Mark Alcock, Abdul Jabbar and Steven Bashforth (Oldham Distress Fund Trustees).
Oldham Council has set up the Oldham Distress Fund to support the residents affected by the explosion in Shaw on Tuesday June 26.
The Oldham Distress Fund is a Registered Charity (registered charity number 225145) which is independently audited and will discharge all money raised to those residents affected by this incident.
Any administration costs will be borne by the Council and will not come out of the Distress Fund.
Trustees of the Oldham Distress Fund are also meeting regularly to act on new applications as they are received.
Oldham Council has donated £100,000 to the official Distress Fund.
The Local Authority has agreed to inject this money from its revenue resources to help alleviate the immediate distress and hardship which the affected residents are experiencing.
An award of £125,000 has been made to Oldham Council from the Greater Manchester Disaster Relief Fund through Forever Manchester.
To date we have also received about £8,000 in public donations.
To date around £63,000 has either been dispensed in cash advances or agreed in principle as payments to be made from the official Oldham Distress Fund.
Oldham Council is also pursuing applications to other funding sources to build the level of emergency financial assistance.
So far the response has been truly inspirational.
Thanks to everyone for all your help.
Cash advances
Cash advances totalling £7,000 were made in immediate aftermath of the explosion to residents.
These are interest-free but repayable.
The Distress Fund was not incorporated as a charity at that stage and this money came from Council revenue resources.
These advances were made in order to help people get quick and easy access to cash and tide them over in the short-term.
The Council has committed to being very flexible regarding the repayment of these funds. We will not place affected residents in further hardship.
Distress Fund
The Distress Fund is there for anybody affected to make a claim who has suffered loss as a result of the explosion.
To date (Friday, July 13) we have approved to pay out £63,000 direct to applications received to the Distress Fund.
The vast majority of these payments will be in recipients’ bank accounts by close of play today.
These are grants – not repayable loans.
Trustees are meeting daily to consider and act upon new applications as soon as they are received.
Oldham Council donated £100,000 to the Distress Fund to ensure funds were in place immediately to assist those facing hardship.
Forever Manchester has also donated a further £125,000.
To date we have also received about £7,000 in public donations.
Initial emergency payments from the Distress Fund were made to residents in affected properties. These were allocated on six ‘zones’ decided by:
• The estimated timescales for residents being able to access their homes;
• The extent of damage to their property;
• The length of any stay in temporary accommodation.
This was to ensure that distribution was fair to all and enabled another quick short-term payment that residents could use for any purpose.
These interim payments are not repayable.
It is important to note that anyone who received one of these payments can apply for further payments from the Distress Fund.
The Trustees are also committed to the following:
• 100 per cent of the money given to the Distress Fund will be used to support the people affected in Shaw;
• The money will go directly to where it is needed;
• No money will be taken by the Council for administration costs;
• No money will be removed or transferred to other funds
• The cost of the clean-up and recovery will not come from the Distress Fund.
Accountability and transparency:
The Distress Fund is a registered charity and will have to submit annual returns to the Charity Commission, which will also be published in full on their website for transparency.
All financial transactions will be audited by the Council’s auditors. Any suggestion that these funds could be misused is clearly false.
The Council is also actively seeking other funding sources to further support the Distress Fund.
Trustees
The Trustees of the Oldham Distress Fund are:
Councillors Abdul Jabbar, Jean Stretton and Howard Sykes. Substitute Ward Members – Jenny Harrison, Mark Alcock and Steven Bashforth – will attend if any of these are unavailable.
Insurance
It is important to note that individuals with insurance are allowed to apply to the Distress Fund – and should do so immediately.
However, if you do have insurance you need to take care to not make a claim that could invalidate your insurance. To clarify, you cannot claim from the insurer and the Distress Fund for the same items or costs.
However, the Distress Fund is there to assist you with any hardship not covered by your insurance but incurred as a result of the explosion. This includes, for example, the Distress Fund paying your insurance excess for you.
Applications for Oldham Distress Fund
The Distress Fund is actively inviting applications to be made by anyone affected by the Shaw explosion.
To do this, either speak to your Support Worker or contact the Rest and Advice Centre at Shaw Lifelong Learning Centre on 0161 770 7770.
Staff are on hand at the Advice Centre on Farrow Street and will help affected residents to complete the application forms for monetary support. We hope to arrange payments of monetary support granted by early next week.
Staff will also arrange for immediate financial support where required.
You can also access a range of other advice on housing, welfare benefits, plus insurance and finance advice.
As part of this process we will be coordinating items, for example, beds, sofas, cookers and white goods that residents might need and arranging for donated items to be delivered / collected for residents.
Affected residents will need to have registered at the Rest Centre at the Lifelong Learning Centre prior to applications being received.
Non–monetary Donations
Following the explosion in Shaw, there has been an incredibly generous response by members of the public who have donated clothes, food, bedding, toiletries etc.
Currently we have more than enough of these items to meet immediate need and are focused on managing the storage and distribution of these donations. As we identify further needs in the coming days, we will appeal for specific items on this website.